Did your child get their first choice secondary school?

Need to appeal?

If your child will turn 11 between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017, he or she will transfer to secondary school at the start of the new school year in September 2017 and will receive a secondary school place offer on the 1st March 2017. For most people this will be either their first choice or one of the three options they gave.

What if I didn't get my first choice?

If you are refused a place at a school, the council will write to tell you:

- Why your place was refused
- Your right to appeal
- How to appeal
- Can I appeal?

You can appeal but not just because you have not been offered the school you want.

You must show that the council has made a mistake when deciding if your child should get a place.

- Have they calculated the safe walking route or distance to school correctly? Different authorities use different methods so check the admission arrangements.

- Have they followed their own admission arrangements?

- Does your child have a special need or special social or emotional circumstances you declared which have not been taken into account?

At the Appeal

Try not to concentrate on the reasons why you don't like the school you have been offered but on why it is important that your child should attend the school you have chosen. Look at the reasons your chosen school can meet your child's needs where the other school can't.

Take a look at the admission numbers in past years, have they exceeded the admission number in the recent past? Does it have classes now that are bigger than its supposed class size? If so you can argue that admitting your child as an additional pupil will not cause a negative consequence to other pupils with a place.

Be prepared with the following information: -

- Advise them if there are Social and Emotional exceptional circumstances?

- Is your child gifted in an area the school specialises in?

- Do your children have a medical need which makes only the school you chose a viable option?

- Has your child been seriously bullied or do they suffer from anxiety which makes the chosen school a better option to meet their needs?

Take as much documentation as possible to back up your argument. If your child has a medical or social need which you feel can only be supported at this particular school you need to be able to back this up.

How it works?

You will be told the date, time and place of your appeal hearing two weeks beforehand.

You will get a document called ‘Statement of the Case’ seven days before your hearing. This explains why your child was not offered a place.

You will meet with an appeal panel of three or five people who are neither connected to the local authority nor the school.

They will listen to both your case and that of someone from the local authority or school.

You will get a letter telling you the panel’s decision.

If you lose your appeal?

The council will write and tell you what your options are.

Parents can only have one appeal to a school in any school year.

What if I have been offered a school with low exam results?

There are many reasons why a school may not be at the top of the league tables, they may have had a year with a larger than usual amount of pupils with a low academic starting point or a large intake of students with additional learning needs so do go along and ask for an appointment to take a look around the school you have been offered, meet the headteacher and get a feel for the school.

What are my other options?

Find out what other schools are under subscribed in your area, visit any you could reasonably travel to daily.

Find out if the schools you would accept hold waiting lists and get on them if they do.

Can I get FREE travel to a school outside of your local area?

If your allocated school is more than 3 miles and is the nearest school which provides education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child and considering any SEN the child may have you may be able to claim free transport to and from school.